Dr. Gundjian Receives Medal from Diaspora Ministry and Encyclical of Blessing from Echmiadzin on Occasion of 80th Birthday

MONTREAL (Abaka) – On December 19, 2015, the Canadian-Armenian Diocesan annual reception for the New Year and Christmas holidays took place in the main Diocesan hall in Montreal upon the invitation of the Primate, Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan, The representatives of various Diocesan, parish and other Armenian organizations were present along with many active figures in the community.

A number of Armenians were specially honored upon the initiative of Bishop Hovakimyan. Among these was Dr. Arshavir Gundjian, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday. Gundjian is well known for numerous and varied services for the Armenian Church and other Armenian institutions during a period of over half a century. In recognition of his achievements, the Ministry of the Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia honored him with its gold medal, while Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II sent him an encyclical of blessing.

Gundjian has received many awards in the past for his activities in connection with the Church of Armenia, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADLP) and the Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA), and for promoting relations between the diaspora and the Republic of Armenia.

In 1978, the auditorium-gymnasium of the newly built AGBU Alex Manoogian School of Montreal was named the Arshavir and Nadia Gundjian Hall by AGBU Life President Alex Manoogian himself in acknowledgment of Gundjian’s great efforts in the conception, foundation and realization of the school.

In 1985, Catholicos of All Armenians Vasken I granted Gundjian the St. Gregory the Illuminator Medal.

In 1993, Gundjian was named Honorary Chairman of the Diocesan Council of the Canadian Armenians by decision of then Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and the Diocesan Council for being one of the chief founders of the new Armenian Diocese of Canada and chairman for many years of the first Diocesan Council.

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In 2009, he received the TCA of Armenia’s “Diamond” Ararat Award as one of the conceivers and founders of the newspaper Azg in Armenia, as well as for the organizational activity he conducted as ADLP Central Committee chairman in the diaspora and in Armenia.

In 2011, he was named as Emeritus Member of the AGBU Central Board of Directors for his service of over three decades as member of the Central Board and in the most recent period as vice president of the organization.

In 2012, he was given the True Patriot Gold Medal by the Hayastan All Armenia Fund. In 1992, Gundjian was appointed a member of the founding council of this organization by President of the Republic of Armenia Levon Ter Petrosian.